Digital education in kindergarten: Nine daycare centers are launching a revolutionary initiative!

Digital education in kindergarten: Nine daycare centers are launching a revolutionary initiative!

Digital education arrives in kindergarten! In the Main-Spessart district, nine daycare centers are taking part in the innovative training program “Startchance kita.digital” in the current 2024/2025 kindergarten year. The initiative, which originated in September 2021, aims to actively support daycare centers in implementing their digital educational mission. An important part of the training is training in the creative and responsible use of digital media in early childhood education. Over 300 daycare centers across Bavaria took part in the campaign this year, despite the ongoing shortage of skilled workers [main-spessart.de].

The kick-off event for the training took place in the Holy Family community hall in Karlstadt, where media educator Frank Findeiß led the training. In practice-oriented workshops, the educators tested how they can efficiently use digital tools in their daycare centers. In this context, it is particularly important that parents are also included in information evenings and practical exercises in order to promote their use of digital media.

Results and insights

The final event, also in the Holy Family Community Hall, offered an exciting insight into the creative results of the participating institutions. The children presented their self-designed films, media collages and audio games, which not only caused enthusiasm but also underlined the high level of acceptance of digital media among educators. They agree that the integration of digital media is a valuable enrichment for everyday kindergarten life.

The daycare centers involved are:

• Baumhof Kita (Marktheidenfeld)
• Katholischer Kindergarten St. Sebastian (Zellingen)
• Kindergarten St. Radegundis (Gössenheim)
• Gemeindekindergarten Mittelsinn
• Kindergarten „Wirbelwind“ (Tiefenthal)
• Evangelische Kita „Schatzkiste“ (Kreuzwertheim)
• Katholisches Kinderhaus „Zur Heiligen Familie“ (Karlstadt)
• Evangelischer Kindergarten St. Andreas (Remlingen)
• Katholischer Kinder- und Jugendhort Grombühl (Würzburg)

The “Startchance kita.digital” program offers selected formats: Kitas can take part in regional face-to-face courses or supra-regional online courses that are tailored to the different needs of daycare centers, kindergartens and after-school care centers. Targeted offers are also made for special media topics. These measures ensure broad access to digital educational resources, as can be read on ifp.bayern.de.

The daycare centers not only receive valuable suggestions for digital photo, audio and film work with the children, but also have the opportunity to further their education via the online platform KITA HUB Bayern. There are numerous materials on digitization and media literacy available there that are intended to enrich everyday life in the daycare centers. The implementation of digital educational offerings is continuously being developed and offers the children in the Main-Spessart district optimal conditions to be prepared for the digital world.

For more information about the digitalization strategy in Bavaria's daycare centers, it is worth taking a look at the website www.kita-digital-bayern.de. The history of this initiative is embedded in a more comprehensive concept, which is also linked to the state program “Language Kitas in Bavaria” and opens up future-oriented perspectives for early childhood education.